I have tried a few ways and my way absolutely works best for me. I pick out a bright star at night.Point my binoculars at the star,cover the front of one eyepiece with one hand,leave both eyes open,slowly move my hand out of the way.
If they are not colliminated, I start to see a weird mishapen ghost image somewhere in my field of view, in addition to the star. As I move my hand away more, at some point my brain realizes that the forming image is looking more and more like the star.Then my brain tries to align the two images. Untill that point I can see where the two images are in relation to each other and therefore make corrections.
Test, correct, test, correct.It works for me.

Not to dispute 338-378.
I use a light aprox, 1500 yds away. close one eye then the other adjust till the light is in thwe same spot in both eyes. open both and they should be close. BUT thats just my way I'm shure there is a better way. Just my two cents. I'm not an expert, just my two cents. the moon works very well also. I've done that too.

You need a straight verticle line and a straight horizontal line at least 1000 yards away. A roof of a building and the end wall will work. A high tension power line frame will work fine also.

Step #1. You MUST place the horizontal line at the very bottom or top of "one" of the tubes when looking in the eyepiece and after you have locked the tripod in that position.

You then look in the other eyepiece and see if the line is at the SAME position on that scope. If not make an adjustment to correct both the same.

Step #2. You then set the tripod to hold the verticle line at the far right or far left when looking in "ONE" of the eyepieces never both at the same time while doing this. You then look into the other eyepiece and make sure the view of the verticle line is in the same place in that tube. You make any adjustments needed. I use the "same" eye (usually the right) for both tubes by just moving my head from the right tube to the left tube.

You then must go back and repeat steps number one and then step two again until both verticle and horizontal planes are in the SAME location when looking into each tubes eyepiece "seperatly".

Remember to lock the tripod in place so it wont move after you have set one of the tubes to view a straight plane.

Hey DC,
Ya know its funny, that method never worked for me. Always felt like my eyes were getting pulled out of my head. Of course it could be my eyes cause one sees brighter than the other too. I started usin the moon with both eyes open and in the glass adj till one moon and perfect circle in tubes no more headaches. What's up with that? Boyd's glasses are way out of whack for me.

The straight verticle and horizontal planes seem to work best for our purpose.

Have been using this method for many years now with no complaints from many customers.

Once collimated the owner of Grieses Gun shop (in Clearfield) glasses after he had dropped them off his tripod while hunting.

Used a power line steel framing where I had the verticle and horizontal planes and was able to bring them back in perfectly. He said they were better then when put on a collimator down at Harry Kiesers.

I use to use a collimator but, find the verticle and horizontal planes a better way to make the adjustments.

The trick is to use just one eye and not both when making that adjustment.
You can do a great job off the target frames at the Williamsport 1000 yard range.

DC
Makes sence to me. I'll take a look threw mine to night, use your meathod DC and see what I can see. One of my gray tubes spun on me the last time I handled my Bigeyes SO I'm shure they are outa wack.
338-378 yes the moon moves very fast and so does the earth on it's axis relitive to a fixed point in space. (WOW did I just write that). 338-378 You have mail.

I can show you this procedure the next time I see you.
Just bring the glasses with you and I can explain in detail.

You can do it with the moon, however I have found the straight horizontal and verticle planes to work better for me.

When using the moon and centering till you get one picture at such a great distance, the optics will be off when going back to the normal viewing yardage of 500 to 2000 or a bit more.
It works the same when using a collimator up close. You will be off when going out to the normal viewing yardages.

The Kowa company is having the same problem with their new Kowa "Highlanders".
They can't seem to get them collimated from the factory and they are using a close up collimator. I know a fellow who has sent his back three times without satisfaction.
They have to be adjusted internally not the way we can adjust ours, externally.

The shorter focal length and the normal lower power of the handhelds is the differance. The lower the power, you can be off a tad without noticing mis-alighnment concerning the handhelds. They have to be WAY out before it bothers your eyes very much. Not so as the power goes up and the focal length extends.

I to have tried it both ways and use the H&V planes whenever I can.
The fellow that owns Griess's (I mentioned in the previous post) was on his way to Williamsport to have Keiser do them when he stopped by where we were set up. Had I had to rely on the moon he would never have had his glasses recollimated that day and ruined a full days hunt.
He said when I finished with them that, they were MUCH better alighned then when Keiser had put them together. Harry used a Collimator and I heard him speak of using the moon at times also.

About us

My family and I welcome you. I started LRH back in 2001 to provide a friendly place where like-minded individuals could share information and ideas to help take their long range shooting and hunting to the next level.